England secure one-day series win

Prior looked in fine flowing form at number three scoring 87 off 86 balls

By Mark Ashenden

England continued their domination of West Indies with an easy 58-run victory in the final one-day international at Edgbaston to take the series 2-0.

England's top four all impressed as Matt Prior top-scored with 87 in a 149-run partnership with Owais Shah (75).

The 328-7 was their sixth highest one-day total with Jerome Taylor the pick of the tourists' bowlers with 3-59.

The Windies batsmen never threatened and needed Shivnarine Chanderpaul (68) and Denesh Ramdin to help them to 270.

All of England's bowlers performed efficiently, without any need for fireworks, as James Anderson grabbed three wickets and Stuart Broad a pair to help smother the West Indian run-chase, which also included three run outs.

Captain Chris Gayle admitted on Monday the series had been a disappointment for the West Indies and was determined to end with a morale-boosting win ahead of the World Twenty20 in June.

Following the wash-out at Headingley and the six-wicket thrashing in Bristol, Gayle opted for action with the ball after winning the toss as heavy cloud circled the long queues battling to get inside Edgbaston.

It was though a rather limp start from pacemen Ravi Rampaul and Taylor with their direction often wayward and too short at the lively Ravi Bopara and Andrew Strauss.

Although the Windies had an early sniff with Kieron Pollard almost running out Bopara, England's opening pair punished anything off line and Rampaul was soon dragged off having conceded 29 off four overs.

On came Edwards, so impressive in the first Test against England, and he was immediately rewarded with Strauss slicing one at the diving Pollard at backward point but the ball popped out of his hands.

The smile soon returned to Gayle's face, though, with Dwayne Bravo making a much-needed breakthrough.

After easing beautifully to one short of his half-century, Bopara prodded forward at a ball nipping back in, only to see the bails tumble after an unlucky inside edge.

Gayle troops off for the Windies after a very brief contribution of 11 runs

Prior and Strauss kept the run-rate ticking along, but the skipper will be kicking himself, giving his wicket away in sloppy fashion when on 52.

After missing a gentle one by Sulieman Benn, Strauss took an age returning his foot to the crease and despite wicketkeeper Ramdin's slow reaction, the stumps were broken and the skipper was off to the pavilion.

West Indies finally grabbed their third scalp, but not before Shah had struck 75 sweet runs off 65 balls, caught at deep mid-wicket by Morton attempting a second successive six off Taylor.

Pollard snared Dimitri Mascarenhas, caught and bowled, for nought and then Prior, having surpassed his previous best one-day international score of 52, finally succumbed on 87 to a full and straight delivery from Taylor, trying to swipe another one down the leg.

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Paul Collingwood, on his 33rd birthday, blasted a quick-fire 23, including a huge six down the leg, to help his side past 300 and reach their highest one-day total against West Indies - beating the 1995 total of 306-5 at The Oval.

A missed Collingwood swipe, which handed Taylor his third wicket, and Rampaul catching Tim Bresnan off Pollard were the last wickets to fall with the tourists mulling over the prospect of chasing 329 over lunch.

Just one minute after Gayle crashed over his first boundary, the disconsolate skipper was walking off having played a Broad loosener down the throat of Bopara.

The misery continued and Ramnaresh Sarwan soon followed, driving Anderson towards Strauss at cover who plucked the ball out brilliantly with his left hand.

ENGLAND'S TOP SIX ODI TOTALS

391/4 vs Bangladesh, June 2005, Trent Bridge

363/7 vs Pakistan, Aug 1992, Trent Bridge

340/6 vs New Zealand, Feb 2008, Napier

334/4 vs India, June 1975, Lord's

333/9 vs Sri Lanka, June 1983, Taunton

328/7 vs West Indies, June 2009, Edgbaston

The tourists' cause was then certainly not aided with the calamitous run-out of Morton.

After scratching around for 21, the opener wanted an optimistic second run when half-way down the wicket but Chanderpaul refused, leaving Bresnan at the stumps to send him packing.

With Bravo opening up his blade with two huge sixes, Graeme Swann was unlucky not to have him stumped in his first over but the West Indian's fortune quickly ran out.

Medium-paced but steady, Bresnan started his fifth over with a wide but then had Bravo playing across the line, capturing him leg before after an entertaining but all too brief innings of 26.

Mascarenhas, Swann and Collingwood plugged away admirably as the match slowly and painfully turned into a rather flat affair with Chanderpaul playing like a man intent on protecting his average as his team's required run-rate soared above 11.

Chanderpaul did eventually move up a gear, but having scored 68 in 108 balls he heaved Broad into the grateful hands of Bopara.

Pollard and Taylor were run out and Benn briefly lit up Edgbaston with two fours and a six before Swann bowled Rampaul.

But there was no denying England and man-of-the-match Prior as they wrapped up victory and the series with Anderson smashing Benn's stumps on a near-perfect day for the hosts.

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